As healthcare professionals, we see and understand the benefits of having blood donations available. However, how many of us encourage our friends and family members to donate? The need for blood is constant. Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood. Blood is essential to help patients survive surgeries, cancer treatment, chronic illnesses and traumatic injuries. Thankfully, 6.8 million individuals volunteer to give 13.6 million units of lifesaving blood and platelets every year. This is one of the reasons World Blood Donor Day was created.
Each year on June 14, we celebrate World Blood Donor Day, recognizing blood donors and the importance of a safe and stable blood supply. The campaign this year is, “Give blood, give plasma, share life, share often.” It focuses on patients requiring life-long transfusion support and underlines the role every single person can play, by giving the valuable gift of blood or plasma.
While this day is to celebrate those that do donate, unfortunately those donations decline in the warmer months, due to summer vacations and holidays, but the need for blood in hospitals never takes a break. Blood and platelet donors are extremely important to ensuring lifesaving care is available the moment a patient is in need. Another unfortunate stat is that only about 3% of age-eligible people donate blood yearly.
On the positive side, there are many benefits to donating blood. First and foremost, you could be saving someone’s life with that donation, with one blood donation potentially saving up to three lives. Other benefits include a free health screening, with your vitals being checked, in addition to being screened for infectious diseases. Studies have also shown regular blood donation is linked to lower blood pressure and a lower risk for heart attacks.
To learn more about blood donation and to see if you’re eligible to make a donation, please visit the UPMC website: https://www.upmc.com/health-library/article?hwid=uf10217